Bedspring



Dec. 26, 1939. w. J. DuvALL E-r AL 2,184,517

BEDSPRING Filed Jan. 25, 1937 1f l MIF al 'Wife/kwin@ suitable manner.

Patented Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEDSPRING ration of Missouri Application January 25, 1937, Serial No. 122,183

7 Claims.

This invention pertains to bedsprings and in particular to a double-bed spring, that is a spring for a double bed.

It has been a recognised difficulty in connection with double beds that when one of the occupants thereof is heavier than the other, the bed- A of one side thereof will not effect the compression of the vother side.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a structure made up in a single unitary spring mattress for a double bed.

Another object is to provide such a double-bed spring in which the region along the middle of the bed between the two occupants thereof is stiiened so as to counteract any tendency for excessive compression of one side to drag downy the other side.

Further objects will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a double-bed spring embodying this invention with part broken away to show the intermediate structure. In this figure a transverse portion across the middle thereof has 'been broken out so as to shorten the drawing. Figure 2 is a transverse section somewhat enlarged taken on line 2-2 of Figure l.

The bedspring of this invention comprises an upper supporting frame l, a lower supporting frame 2 and a series of bed supporting springs indicated generally at 3-which are suitably supported between the upper and lower frames I and 2. In orderv to support the springs 3 the lower frame is provided with a plurality of transverse supporting members 4 each of which supports a transverse row of springs 3, said springs being connected to the supporting member in any Longitudinal supporting wires or rods 5 connect the supporting members 4 with each other and with the ends of the lower frame 2. These wires or rods may also be connected to the springs 3. In the upper face of the bedspring the upper ends of the springs 3 are connected to each other by means of interlaced cross springs 6 in the usual manner.

In accordance with the present inve tion the series of springs 3 is divided along the middle of the bed into two distinct side groups. These two groups are entirely separated from each other along the middle of the bed except for the connections already mentioned in the upper and lower faces of the bedspring, that is, in the planes of the frame l and the lower supports 4. Each of these groups is embraced by a separate group frame 'l constructed of heavy wire or othergsuitable material and located in a plane intermediate the upper and lower faces of the bedspring. The mid-portions of the springs 3 of each of these separate groups are connected to their respec tive group frames 'l by means of transverse connectors 8 and longitudinal connectors 9. These connectors may be in the form of simple wires suitably interlaced with or otherwise connected with the springs 3 at their midportions and connected at their ends to the frames l. This provides independent supporting means for each group of springs so that their midportions are reinforced or supported to prevent lateral buckling thereof under pressure.

In addition to the group frames 1 an intermediate main frame I0 embraces both groups of springs and may, in fact, be arranged to surround all of the springs 3 as shown in Figure l. The group frames 'l are connected to the intermediate main frame I0 by supporting connectors ll. The frame I0 thus provides an intermediate support for the midportions of all the bedsprings and more particularly a unitary support for the two group frames 1.

In order to stiien the middle portion of the bed the two rows of springs extending down the middle of the bed are made stronger or stiier than the rest of the springs 3 by constructing them of larger size wire or by any other suitable means. These stronger springs are indicated at l2. The en d springs in each of these middle rows may or may not be stifened or strengthened as described. These extra strong `springs along the inner edge serve to stiifen or l strengthen said inner edge of each side group of springs so that such edge is enabled to resist being dragged downwardly by excessive compression of the other half of the bed.

'It will be noted, therefore, that this invention provides a unitary structure for a doublebed spring in which the two side halves are freed from each other for independent operation.` Itwill be noted that the two side groups are entirely separate fromeach other except that they are connected to a common supporting structure at bottom, that is at the supports 4 andthat they are interconnected at their upper ends in the plane of the upper frame l by the top springs 6. These top springs are relatively light and serve simply to prevent wobbling of the upper ends of the springs and will have comparatively little effect in transmitting the compression from one side of the bed to the other. Accordingly, when a heavy person occupies one side of the bed, the side group of springs on that side may yield to properly support his weight and in so doing is reinforced and supported by connections to the upper and lower frame and also by connections of the midportions of the springs to Athe intermediate main frame I0. Such yielding will have substantially no eiect upon the other side groups, since the only connection thereto is through the'top springs 6 which are too light to cause any substantial compression of the springs l2. The independent action of -the two side groups is further enhanced by the fact that the two middle rows of springs I2 are stiffer or stronger than the other springs. This provides a stiil'ened inner edge for each side group. This stiiening has a dual effect. It not only enables the side group occupied by the heavy person to support his weight without excessive sagging alo'ng thel middle of the bed and thereby reduces the actual sag at that point, but, since the inner edge of the other side group is also stifened'in like manner, it is better able to resist the tendency of the occupied side group to drag it down. Furthermore, since there are no connections between the side groups at any intermediate point between the upper and lower faces of the bedspring, there can be no transmission of pull from one side to the other except through the springs 6 which, as already pointed out, are too weak to have any substantial effect.

Accordingly, this structure pirovides a bed'- spring for a double bed which may -be occupied by persons of greatly unequal weight and is adapted to support the weight of each person independently of that of the other so that .the bed Y surface is maintained substantially level for each ment or manipulation.

The connection of the group frames 1 ,to the intermediate main frame I0 by the connectors II provides not only lateral support for the side groups of springs but a `certain amount of vertical support. The connectors Il form a sort of hinge connection between the frames 1 and l0 permitting depression of the former to a limited extent but resisting an excessive amount of compression, and thereby cooperates with the inner row of springs I2 to maintain each half of the bed level by supporting the margins thereof.

However, while'great advantages are obtained from this device as a unitary structure, it will be understood that individual features or subcombinations thereof may be useful by themselves .without reference to the complete combination,V and the employment of such individual features or subcombinations is contemplated by this invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

It is further obvious that various changes may be made in the details of construction within the scope `of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of this invention, and it is understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to the specific details shown or described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A double-bed spring, comprising, upper and lower supporting frames, bed-supporting springs supported between said frames, certain of said springs being grouped to provide two distinct side groups, the springs of the two middle rows along the bed being stiffer than the other springs of said groups, and means laterally supporting the mid-portions of the springs of each of said side groups, said groups including said lateral supporting means Ibeing unconnected to each other except through their lower supports and extensible mattress-supporting elements interconnecting the 'upper ends of said springs, so that each group is unaected by deflection of the other.

2. A double-bed spring, comprising, upper and lower supporting frames, bed-supporting springs supported between said frames, certain of said springs being grouped to provide two distinct side groups, the springs of the two middle rows along the bed'being stiffer than the other springs of said groups, means laterally supporting the midportions of the springsI of each of said side groups, and an intermediate main frame to which 4said supporting means are connected, said groups including said lateral supporting means being unconnected to each other except through their lower supports and extensible mattress-supporting elements interconnecting the upper ends of said springs, so that each'group is unaffected` by deflection of the other.

supported between said frames, certain of said springs being grouped to provide ltwo distinct side groups, the springs of the two middle rows along the bed being stiffer than the other springs of vsaid groups, means laterally supportingthe mid-portions of the springs f each of said side groups, an intermediate main frame, a pair of group frames each embracing one of said side groups of springs, and means connecting said supporting means to said group frames, and said group frames to said intermediate main frames, said groups including said lateral supporting means being unconnected toeach other except through `their lower supports and extensible mattress-supporting elements interconnecting the upper endsof said springs, so that each group is unaffected by deflection of the other.

4. A double-bed spring, comprising, upper and lower supporting frames', bed-supporting springs supported between said frames, certain of said springs being grouped to provide two distinct side groups, the springs of the two middle rows along the -bed being stiffer than the other springs of said groups, means laterally supporting the midportions of the springs of each. of said side groups, an intermediate main frame, and hinging connections between said supporting means and said main frame, said groups including said lateral supporting means being unconnected to each other except through their lower supports and extensible mattress-supporting elements interconnecting the upper ends of said springs, so that each group is unaffected by deflection of the other.

5. A double-bed spring, comprising, upper and lower supporting frames, bed-supporting springs supported between said frames, certain of said springs being grouped to provide two .distinct side groups, means laterally supporting the mid-portions of the springs of each of said side groups, said groups including said lateral supporting means being unconnected to each other except for their lower supports and extensible mattresssupporting elements interconnecting the upper ends of said springs, and an intermediate main frame to which said supporting means are connected.

6. A double-bed spring, comprising, upper and lower supporting frames, bed-supporting springs supported between said frames, certain of said springs being grouped to provide two distinct side groups, a pair of independent group frames-each embracing one of said side groups, connections from each frame to the intermediate portions of the springs in its group, the inner row of springs of each of said groups being stiffer than the other springs thereof, an intermediate main frame, and hinging connections between said group frames and said main frame.

7. A double-bed spring, comprising, upper and lower supporting frames, bed-supporting springs supported between said frames, certain of said springs being grouped to provide two distinct side groups, a pair of independent group frames each embracing one of said side groups, connections from each frame to the intermediate portions of the springs in its group, the inner row of springs of each of said groups being stiier than the other springs thereof, an intermediate main frame, and hinging connections between said group frames and said main frame, said groups including said group frames' being unconnected to each other except through their lower supports and extensible mattress-supporting elements interconnecting the upper ends of said springs so that each group is unaiected by deection of the other.`

WILLIAM J. DUVALL. GERALD W. FROEMKE. 

